The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of May 6, 2024
Striding Statue of Minnefer
c. 2377–2311 BCE
(2647–2124 BCE)
Overall: 53.8 x 14.4 x 23.4 cm (21 3/16 x 5 11/16 x 9 3/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1948.420
Location: 107 Egyptian
Description
The base of this statue is inscribed with the name and title of the supervisor of palace attendants, Minnefer. He is represented as young and athletic, hands at his sides and left foot forward, the typical striding pose for male figures. To make the statue more lifelike, the flesh areas were originally painted reddish brown, the wig black, and the kilt white. This was one of four statues of Minnefer that were found in the serdab (sealed statue chamber) of his ruined mastaba (tomb) in the cemetery west of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Most Old Kingdom private statues were concealed in this way. The statue was regarded as more than just a representation. Once the proper rites had been performed, it functioned as a substitute for the deceased individual and could partake of food offerings necessary for the survival of his ka, or vital spirit.- The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 3 archive.orgCleveland Museum of Art, and Martha L. Carter. Egyptian Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, Ohio: The Museum, 1963. Reproduced: p. 4; Mentioned: p. 5 archive.orgBerman, Lawrence M., and Kenneth J. Bohač. Catalogue of Egyptian Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1999 Reproduced: p. 126-127; Mentioned: p. 126-127
- {{cite web|title=Striding Statue of Minnefer|url=false|author=|year=c. 2377–2311 BCE|access-date=06 May 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1948.420